Nikolai Statkevich: Let’s Stand Together So That Belarus May Live On!

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Belarusian opposition leader Nikolai Statkevich writes in his Telegram channel writes about the consequences Belarus has faced due to the mass emigration that began after 2020:

— Five years ago, a tragedy befell our people—as a result of a special operation, through mass, demonstrative repression, targeted intimidation, and the staging of public examples, as well as an online information campaign, at least half a million of our fellow citizens were driven to emigrate from Belarus. For example, this is analogous to more than 7 million people suddenly leaving Russia. Any European country, in the context of a pan-European demographic crisis, strives to encourage its citizens to remain in their homeland, start families there, and have and raise children. After all, every person, regardless of their political views, is an asset to their country—a country that, after all, paid their parents’ wages during their childhood, provided them with a free education, and treated them when necessary.

Given the caliber of these people expelled from Belarus, their average level of education, and their level of engagement, our country’s economy and its prospects for development have suffered colossal damage. In essence, the ruling regime has given a free gift to other states at the expense of our people’s future. The reason for this—at the very least—irresponsible action is not merely revenge for the fear experienced in 2020. Nor is it merely the desire to maintain control and power over the country at any cost—a desire clearly articulated in a statement made by the country’s top leader a little over four years ago in Moscow regarding the mass emigration of Russian men due to mobilization: “Don’t feel sorry that they left. They weren’t on your side anyway.”

Nikolai Statkevich believes that the mass “cleanup” of Belarus in 2021 also served as pre-war preparation for the invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops from our territory:

— To prevent protests or active resistance behind the lines of the Russian forces on our soil. The “cleanup” was carried out. And now, hundreds of thousands of our compatriots live outside Belarus. These people could be a source of potential for the future development of a free Belarus, or they could be a loss to us. That is why it is very important that we do not lose our sense of unity and shared responsibility for the future of Belarus.

But life is life. People have to make do with the circumstances they find themselves in—circumstances that are often very different from what we’re used to here. These are different concerns, different people, a different country. It’s even a different community—the diaspora. Like any other community, it divides everyone into “us” and “them” and strives to increase the number of “us.” And it directs its attention and solidarity first and foremost toward “us.” A certain alienation between us on either side of the border is inevitably growing, and we must counteract this.

First and foremost, it is important that we respect each other’s choices and do not view one another as outsiders. But if Belarusians abroad ever wish to return to their homeland without risk to themselves or having to endure humiliation before some “commissions,” if they even want their homeland to stand behind them, then we must understand that all of this depends to the greatest extent on those Belarusians who have remained on their own soil. So—stop insulting them on social media; stop reproaching your friends or relatives for being “fools for not having left by now.” Just be grateful to those who have made—and continue to make—this dangerous choice in favor of their country, because they are our best chance for the liberation and preservation of Belarus.

I won’t hide the fact that I was struck not only by the solidarity among Belarusians in the diaspora toward one another and toward deported political prisoners, but also by the significantly lesser displays of such solidarity toward those who, after their release, remained in Belarus in an incomparably more difficult situation—under constant threat of re-imprisonment, without even the right to a bank account or a phone number, and unable to find a decent job (I’m not talking about myself at all here). Let’s recall, for example, the unsuccessful fundraising effort for the released political prisoners who remained in Belarus, compared to the solidarity fundraisers for those who were deported.

Nikolai Statkevich writes about an issue that, in his view, concerns all Belarusians today:

— Right now, independent Belarusian online media are what bind us all together as a single nation. And they should set an example of truly independent, professional journalism. But the blatant bias and even self-censorship of some of these resources are glaringly obvious. I have enough experience to understand that this bias, just as it once was back home, is linked to funding sources. But now, it seems, this funding is provided by European organizations as part of their support for Belarusian democracy as a whole.

As I understand it, the distribution of support among specific Belarusian media outlets is handled by the leadership of the diaspora, which in turn receives the most attention from these outlets. It’s just like it used to be here—“he who feeds the girl gets to dance with her.” Only the frenetic activity of the “offices” and “offices” is of interest primarily to the owners and occupants of these properties. Most Belarusians here are indifferent to it. Oh well—people will put up with it for the chance to see other information that’s important to them. But on the other hand, when our country liberates itself, will teams of Belarusian journalists—professionally trained, for a fee, to make black look white or vice versa—come to us as a model of European professionalism, objectivity, and a critical attitude toward the abuse of influence? No, thank you. We already have more than enough of those here. Learn from the best.

It is obvious to me that the issue of distributing aid to Belarusian democratic online media outlets by EU bodies should be decided by an independent, non-political body based on objective criteria. I believe that representatives of these resources are capable of jointly developing such criteria.

And to all Belarusians on both sides of the border, I want to say: “Let’s stand together so that Belarus may live!”

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